Dozens more charges likely for former Scout leader

David Watkins was arrested November 28 after an adult came forward and reported abuse that allegedly occurred when he was a child.

albemarle county police

Former Keswick Boy Scout leader David Brian Watkins, 50, was in court June 4 to enter pleas to two counts of rape and one count of forcible sodomy of a child younger than 13, assaults that allegedly happened in 2005, according to the indictments.

The slight, bearded, prison-stripes-wearing Watkins answered in a firm voice, "Not guilty," to each of the three charges in Albemarle Circuit Court. Watkins waived a jury trial, and the date was set for December 17.

Watkins' attorney, Samantha Freed, asked for co-counsel to be appointed in anticipation of dozens more direct indictments.

Two women outside the courthouse identified themselves only as "Scout moms." Said one of them, "It's really hard for the kids. Guilty or not, they liked him."

6 comments

Mom June 4th, 2013 | 8:35pm

this man gave me the "creeps" when I would see him around his son's elementary school back in the early 2000's. Obviously I didn't know anything concrete or I would have done something. Unfortunately, with all the access he had to children, I fear this is just the tip of the iceburg.

Seeing Red June 4th, 2013 | 10:44pm

Can we get a new mug shot of this POS like they use to do for Hughley? I'd like to see him in his Hamburgler costume.

Hook Reader June 4th, 2013 | 10:52pm

Did you hear that Watkins? Dozens of new charges.....Dozens! And we hope to be there to see each and every one of them brought against you and to watch you squirm while you try to convince a judge that a young man just conjured up these charges for no reason. We promise to be there - Scouts Honor.

Not a Fan June 5th, 2013 | 9:05pm

Where do these sick predators come from?? How did a cretin like Watkins survive in the BSA??? I've met this guy before and considered him a wormy little snake from the first time I saw him. Now I know why.......For the sake of the many victims of sexual assault, I hope that the Albemarle County court system does a better job of prosecuting this dangerous pervert than it did in the Chris Dumler case. I can't imagine that there are too many "Scout Moms" out there willing to stand by this scumbag. Maybe I'm wrong, THIS is C'VILLE after all!!!!!

really? June 6th, 2013 | 7:23am

Where do they come from? How did he survive in the BSA? Ever heard of Catholicism?

I don't think those "scout moms" were there to support this guy - they were just saying that the kids were having a particularly hard time coming to terms with the reality that an adult they really liked was a predator.

Cretins like this survive in any institution that insists on repression and denial as a way of dealing with uncomfortable things. I'm sure this guy paid great lip service to the "morally straight" crowd and thus slid under the radar....kind of like Ted Haggard.

The Scouts wised up a few years ago and came up with their 'two deep' leadership policy - since sex of any type really has no place in an organization like this - not allowing scouts and leaders to be one-on-one alone ever is really the simplest way to safeguard against predators (and the apocryphal "false accusations").